Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-04-23

understand. Then he started to say how was they
and the baby to get out OF this? She didn't want
her husband should come back; but standard says
10 her: You can't do your husband no good BY
aaa you 70
| night In the bush"
thing, and see he was right; and then she says to
him helpless and grateful like, '-Could we rioe be-
Poor STANDARD! He felt stumped. he didn't
| know what TO say. He hooked at the tall young
woman and the baby, and then at himself and the
as Win his CAMPING R Ss
There was ten miles or so to be done that night,
| before they got to the creek. 1t was late now,
nearly seven 1t would be dark as pitch In the
scrub before they got there, even II 'Lady" could
carry all that load 50 far that but to carry
ing them an ab TO G0ar1 eighty s miles nanq
was allowed to delay the mails. He would be late
asst was for the stop he made 1t must be couple
OF days at best before he'd get there, carrying all
that extra weight.
so standard stood for moment or two and
thought it all over while he watched the girl ror
she was no more) straighten herself ana the child.
and struggle TO stand. Seeing her stagger bit
called him to himself and ne thinks as he gave
| her his hand to steady her. ''Damn her majesty 8
mail regulations, I'll take her somehow"
so he gets his blanket out OF his Kit and straps IL
behind his saddle, and then he took and laid the
| baby On the tree root, while he swung the woman
! on TO the blanket, behind the saddle Then he
| handed her up the child and got carefully into the
saddle himself, leaving them all the room he
could, she used TO say. LADY" looked round, a
bit doubtful of the extra weight and the dangling
petticoats on one side, but started right enough
! when Standard told her it had got to be done.
There wasn't much said on the ride 1t was
| rough stepping, and Lady" ID to pick her way,
J lass behind with the baby In her right arm and
her left hand ON his belt, and she was looking On
both sides TO see II she could see the two men, Ex-
| cept TO beg Standard to stop minute and shout,
| once or twice, in case her husband and his chum
was near, she never spoke. Standard knew 1t
bat be
hearted fellow, and he couldn't stand hearing the
poor soul crying in hopeless sort OF way behind
all the way the baby lay there as peaceful and
comfortable as we are now this minute.
and tSe Woman s t was sWayne in the m saade though
she sat straight enough at first Noticing this,
standard says suddenly: "Mssus, have you ever
rode alOne?"
She gives sort OF start, and sits up, and says,
"Oh, yes, I've rode great deal when was girl;
but I'm that tired now, and feel so weak that
can't sit up" She thought he was wondering at
her leaning against him so heavy. But that
wasn't what Standard was thinking. He knew
straight out OF the saddle. from fatigue and want
OF food and water. No; he was thinking OF plan
for the next day; When they got to the creek he
gives her mouth sponge out, and bit of rub,
TO last till he could see her when she was cool.
Then he got some dry sticks and dry grass mo fear
OF The wood being wet in a hot season here
aboutsD together for fire. and as soon as il burns
up puts the billy over it. Then he hunted in his
kit for tin OF milk he'd got-nOt to put in his tea
but TO use for butter. He thought 1t would be just
the thing for the woman seeing she'd to nurse the
mS-dd her bower of eood and w r 1 heH warm or
her TO eat bit OF sOpped bread, and had his own
tea, he gave her towel and told her II she'd feel
better for washing her face and hands and that,
the creek was safe 10 do IL in. He went off to see
TO Lady" and before he went he put his comb,
and bit OF lOoking-glass he carried where she
hta Ia wa
always a bit OF dandy. But he didn't say moth
Ing TO her about the comb and glass, because,
about suggesting, as her hair was hanging all
down her back in two long fair plafts. Standard
thought she'd feel vexed If she knew he noticed it.
himself or
When he came back, he says he found the baby
asleep. and smoothed and tidied somehow and the
woman as neat as a pin-wOmen are so clever in
STRENGTHENING themselves-and the pannikin and
that washed up, and the fire raked together The
woman sat there with her needle-bO on her
knee-she had it in her pocket she says-sewing
OF the saddle-buckes. Standard didn't say MOTH
ing much that night but he had made up his
mind; and after making shelter OF branches and
fern, and seen the mother and baby laid down un-
der one side OF the IRE he stretched himself the
other side, with his head on the mail bags
The woman must get to Gundaroo, and
before the next night, too; so must the mails
Lady" could carry them wen enough, but she
stay behind and walk. Lady would go along
the track through the forest alone, he knew: and
II 1ny Inc gir would have the pluck to trust her
re1ns, they'd all get to Gundaroo, safe as church
she could then deliver up the bags at the post
ONCE and tell them to send out search party to
look after her husband and his chum, and horse
to meet him.
He knew he was sure to get into trouble with the
authorities for risk1ng it. especially IL it failed and
he knew too, that 1t no fun to be left to walk
through the forest in riding boots and breeches
and WITH nothing but q few biscuits and a pistol
Inc water Darrl he meant to ill, and fix in its
place behind the saddle, and the rest OF the tin OF
mix, ana Ine oread DAN per, OF course you know,
Ing, especially when they've baby to feed too he
Thought And she must take one OF the pistols.
His chief fear was she'd be too soft-hearted to
Ike TO leave him behind and yet he knew IL
couldn't be done under couple OF DAYS or more
likely four, II they tried to go altogether Though
ne said, damn her maJestys mails" he Garent
delay em so long, for all that ''Daming" wouldn't
hurt en- or him either; but delaying 'em would
be the very devil for them, and him too
AS soon as 1t was light he set to work separating
the things he was going to keep from those he was
going TO send on with the 'ROyal she mail as he
called her in joke TO himself. He looked at the
Two sleeping the other side OF the fire under the
open sky. The Kid was comfortable enough. era
died in soft arms; but the mother was lyino inst
about as uncomfortahly as it's possible to lie so as
To shelter the child Standard, who noticed every
thing, made note OF this, and thought he'd work
on her maternal feelings most TO get her to go on
After he'd fed LADY" about O'Clock. he
grooned her up In style, for, he used to saw ne
must have the horse that carried the .ROyal She
mali as smart as possible. Later on when he
saw the woman after her nights rest in the fresh
early morning, and had got her to eat a bit OF
breakfast, he was quite pleased to see how much
better she looked.
He'd great work. he said, to make her 90 with
out MN, though she wasn't bit afraid for herself
He had TO say she shouldn't be so far behind and
swear he could walk pretty nearly as fast as
LADY q go. and so on. He showed her how to
IRE the pistol and told her to let LADY, choose
the way II she felt doubtful about the track among
the gun-treeS. OF course he cheered her I'D all he
could, though feeling bad at letting woman and
Daoy go alone all that way. You see, there were
Dusnrangers TO be feared then. He was afraid to
say much about taking care OF the mails for fear
OF irlghtenlng her: He just said, there they was
IN 'front.' or the saddle, and that she must take em
straight to the Office and not let any one but the
people OF the office touch them. Then he told her
ABOUT sending the two parties back to meet him
ana ner husband. He said-as he saw her sitting
so easy In the saddle and the baby lying in her
lap. tied 10 her by her shawl; and her right arm
Tree Tor the pistol II need be- his spirits bit
Sne looked able TO do iL. He wanted TO give her
MS mall badge, but she says no, she wouldn't
nave H. shed be safer without. He didn't quite
SEE what she meant. But when IL was all over
put there, II tell you the story that way you'll
Know now IL ended too soon.
wen, there amt much more to tell after ALL
MOTHER. she rode straight along the track into
GundaroO. All! see I've told you now! Yes. it
was my mother. that was; and Pm the baby!
sue sad why she wouldn't wear the badge was
ior the same reason as she hung her shawl over
the ma1-0ags as soon as she was out OF Standards
ana child worth rObbing.
she lett him lust a he heofnptpy NJ tho foroct